U2 producer to front new RTÉ show to find original songwriting talent

Grammy-winning music producer Steve Lillywhite will front a new RTÉ series to look for original songwriters.

Lillywhite has been a long-time producer of both U2 and The Pogues along with The Rolling Stones, Talking Heads, Morrissey and others and his work has won five Grammy awards.

The Hit was a successful pilot last year generating hits for Royseven and Brian McFadden and will be one of the flagship programmes of the RTÉ's summer schedules.

Lillywhite will choose the songs and the artists will select the song they feel most suits their talent.

The public will vote each week and the winning song or songs will be released as singles.

“The Hit is a show that puts the song centre stage where it should be. As any artist will tell you: a great song can change a career overnight,” said Lillywhite.

Other highlights of RTÉ's summer schedule will be the return of Celebrity MasterChef Ireland , Saturday Night with Miriam , a new drama series The Fall starring Gillian Anderson , an RTÉ co-production with the BBC, a documentary about Margaret Thatcher and Ireland and Would You Believe with Bono.